Amtrak sees spike in riders traveling for Thanksgiving

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- As radical crossed the state expect reuniting with their loved ones for Thanksgiving, question is apical of mind.

AAA is expecting much than 80 cardinal travelers to get down the wheel.

Freeways are already packed successful Merced. With the FAA calling it the biggest hose question play successful 15 years, immoderate North Valley residents are ditching some the roadworthy and the airport, opting alternatively for Amtrak.

More than a cardinal radical are expected to question by train.

Thomas Canty is 1 of the galore UC Merced students heading location for the holidays.

"It's a truly inconvenient mode to question successful my opinion, I don't truly similar driving the afloat 8 hours, the postulation is simply a nightmare, particularly during the vacation times," helium says.

After years of driving backmost to San Diego for Thanksgiving, Canty says the bid makes much sense. "This ended up being much of an economical option. The prices were tenable and I'd alternatively wage for the convenience of being capable to beryllium and work."

As Canty was boarding, Los Banos autochthonal Eddie Esparza hopped disconnected the Amtrak aft his travel from Los Angeles.

Esparza says he's been taking vantage of the bid for years, but he's ne'er seen it arsenic engaged arsenic it was connected Wednesday. "This train, actually, they kept saying it was sold out, and it was beauteous packed and radical coming in, immoderate radical were gonna beryllium lasting origin it was beauteous packed today."

Amtrak reports that 81% of trips volition spell further than 250 miles. Ken Lanteigne and his woman Leslie are a portion of that equation, making their archetypal travel to Yosemite National Park, each the mode from Portland, Oregon.

While their vacation solemnisation whitethorn look antithetic compared to galore others,

Their excitement to walk clip with a loved 1 is conscionable arsenic big. "And we get to hike! We get to hike connected Thanksgiving! What's amended than that?"